Fri 1 Apr-Missing Lions

John and I were both on data this morning so were split between MK’s for John and B’s for me. Just as we went to open up for the B’s a message came over the radio “We’re with the MK’s enclosure and there’s no lions…copy…lion’s are gone”. Then we were contacted by and told to leave the B’s, head back to the lounge and close the doors and stay there till the lions are found. So we start heading back wondering how they could have lost the lions? Half way back a message comes over the radio saying what we think is the lions have been found..after a few goes at trying to confirm this is the case the confirmation comes through and we ask if it’s clear to go back. JB radios through to see where they were… “in the enclosure..”. We realise it’s an April Fool’s joke.

JB, not wanting to be the only one to get caught…calls through to the stables and says the B’s have caught the baby horse and that it’s dead. Poor Sam responds very calmly saying he’ll be straight over. We wait a little while before we call back through and ask him what the date is…

2nd session we have BPG and we clean out the FIV lions. Their enclosure is really bad so good to see the girls get a clean up. We finish up with a few of the hunting enclosures and head to lunch.

After lunch we scored the cub site with Lewa. She’s in a really bad mood cause she’s hungry. When her 5kg lump of meet finally arrives she’s much happier. I also got to give part of a bottle to the remaining P and then we let her and Lewa play … very supervised. It was a great session.

After 20mins before the end of our session Matt comes bolting in saying he’s heading out as the elephants have escaped! Well no-one is going to fall for that one so we keep on doing what we’re doing. A bit later someone comes by and says all the lion walks are cancelled as all the staff are out looking for the elephants…nice try…

At 4:40 we finally believe them when no guides are around to take us out. Apparently they got scared by some hunters with dogs and bolted off and they were eventually found in a remote part of the park.